HALDIMAND—Haldimand Stewardship Council Inc. (HSC) is progressing in their efforts to bring ALUS to Haldimand. This national program works with farmers to undertake different environmental projects by providing funding and resources.
ALUS was the topic of discussion at a public information session held at the Ball’s Falls Conservation Area by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA). In attendance were members of HSC.
HSC member Cathy Blott penned an update on their efforts, with the organization also being invited to sit in on an ALUS Norfolk partnership advisory committee (PAC) meeting.
“The willingness of other ALUS communities to invite others to the table and share the knowledge that their agricultural network has developed is what makes the program unique and so useful for new communities to get involved with. ALUS continues to provide invaluable support and advice on a demonstration grassland in Haldimand seeded in 2022,” wrote Blott.
Alyssa Cousineau, ALUS senior hub manager for the Great Lakes area, spoke with The Press about how the program can help to bolster and improve the environment in rural areas like Haldimand and throughout the Niagara peninsula watershed.
ALUS is largely driven by community demand, with local chapters organized and run by local farmers and stakeholders. The Norfolk chapter has been running for 20 years.
“We work to find a legal entity that can take on the administration of the program and we’ll form a partnership advisory committee (PAC) that is mostly made up of farmers and other stakeholders … to form a program, form the priorities, make decisions over the program, look at decisions coming through, review and approve projects,” said Cousineau. “The PAC is the heart of the ALUS program.”
Blott listed municipalities, conservation authorities, and private or public companies as possible examples of a legal entity that could choose to become involved, serving as an administrative body, providing financial support, and handling fundraising, business, and human resource aspects of a local ALUS program.
HSC and the Haldimand Federation of Agriculture (HFA) first sat down with ALUS in November 2022.
“We know there is interest in the farming/ranching community to bring ALUS to Haldimand and so we plan to host a second meeting after the new year when we hope to identify the steering committee and possibly identify the members of a potential ALUS-Haldimand PAC,” wrote Blott, estimating that sourcing out a legal entity and establishing that PAC could take up to two years.
Cousineau described ALUS’ primary goal, which is to establish environmentally positive projects on marginal farmlands that exist on properties that are currently underutilized or left unused.
“In Haldimand County these lands are often associated with small swales running through the fields that lead to our many tributary valleys draining to Lake Erie, or with areas of shallow bedrock, or low-lying flat areas that don’t drain well at all,” wrote Blott.
“We work on a community basis. It’s not ALUS national that starts the program. That’s one of our main principles, to have a community-led, farmer-led program,” she said. “Farmers who show interest come to us.”
Notably, the PAC must consist of a minimum 51% local farmer/rancher representation. A project coordinator would liaison between the legal entity and the PAC. Cousineau said that once established, that locally driven voice would dictate when and where ALUS projects could be considered.
Cousineau noted of that local voice, “They know their area the best, they know what the problems and issues are, and the farmers in the community are the ones who have the solutions to those problems…. In general we’re a very flexible program. If there is a certain project type they feel needs to be addressed more, we will look for the funding to be able to do that for them.”
She provided some examples of what an ALUS project might look like.
“They are generally edge-of-field type projects or modified agriculture-type projects. They could be wetlands, trees and shrubs, pollinator habitats, buffers, and these projects help to generate … cleaner air, cleaner water, more wildlife habitats. Production of ecosystem services is something that ALUS works to help fund.”
According to Blott, ALUS pairs well with restoration programs already in use in the County by HSC, “but also builds on existing programs because ALUS is principle based, offering flexibility to meet unique circumstances and community needs. ALUS also brings new concepts to restoration support and funding that we think Haldimand County farmers and ranchers would be interested in.”
Cousineau said that once established, ALUS has proven to be highly sustainable on an annual basis.
“They have funds that are generated each year for the continuation of the program. We build a network of farmers in the community that can all meet up and discuss relevant issues. Each ALUS community hosts events on an annual basis to bring their network of farmers together,” she continued.
She said that while the first year of a new ALUS program may focus on administrative organizing, once a few projects start rolling, it can “ramp up really quickly.”
She said some farmers approach ALUS not quite knowing what to do with their land, just knowing they have a piece of land and they want to do something environmentally worthwhile with it.
“By putting the land in the program, they can produce environmental benefits that are more valuable that what they’re producing on infertile land,” said Cousineau.
Once projects are complete, farmers continue to receive an annual payment through ALUS to help manage and maintain their projects.
Cousineau stressed that no piece of land is too small for consideration: “We’ll look and see. Every acre makes a difference.”
Blott concluded, “We’ve been developing our local ALUS network over the last few years. It can take time to get started, but that’s part of the program’s strength. By building the local network, we can ensure that the farmers and ranchers who participate have a strong sense of the program and how it can benefit their community.”
